Ever Take a Stab at Writing Crime Humor?

[Benjamin Sobieck]

Got a funny bone, C'Spacers?

 

"Who Whacked the Blogger" is a mash-up short story I wrote with prolific literary blogger Giovanni Gelati. It just came out today for the Kindle and Nook (and on Smashwords, as always).

 

The experience contained many firsts for me.

 

* First mash-up

* First humor piece

* First introduction of my first serialized character, Maynard Soloman

 

Yep, good ol' Maynard Soloman. He lives and works out of an RV. He used to work as a police investigator, but got pegged into early retirement for health reasons. Since the force wouldn't pay off his medical bills, he opened his own private investigation service.

 

These things make him cranky. And a lot of fun to write. I embraced the side of me (more like the larger portion of me) that is a crusty old man. Throw in some tragedy plus time, and you've got humor.

 

It's easier to write humor when you don't try. There were no set-ups for the "funny" parts. They just arrived as an extension of Maynard Soloman's character. Time has passed him by, but he refuses to budge. His pride won't let him admit this. He also can't accept the fact he's way past his prime.

 

If this sounds more tragic than funny, you're right. But if you let it sit, tragedy becomes humor. The fact the reader is so distanced from the reality of Maynard's situation provides the perfect curing solution.

 

What about you? Ever try to write crime humor?

[I. J. Parker]

MASH was funny.  I liked that a lot.  Humor in crime novels needs to be separated carefully from the crime itself (the victim and the victim's family and the protagonist's attitude towards them.)

 

ARSENIC AND OLD LACE worked only because you had two old ladies who were gaga and killing people because they felt sorry for them. The prim propriety of their manners created the effect when contrasted with the nephew's panic.